Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Community Housing Fund

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will extend the Community Housing Fund to beyond March 2020; and if he will make a statement.

Esther McVey: The Community Housing Fund is currently scheduled to close in March 2020. Ministers are considering all budgets in the round and allocations will be announced following a business planning exercise later in the year The government recognises that the community-led housing sector offers significant potential for helping to meet housing need across England. In addition to helping increase the rate of delivery of new housing, it will help deliver a range of benefits including: diversifying the house building sector, improving design and construction quality, developing modern methods of construction, and sustaining local communities and local economies. The support and close involvement of the local community enables the community-led approach to secure planning permission and deliver housing that could not be brought forward through speculative development.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Trade: Australasia

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of trading opportunities between the UK and (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand after the UK leaves the EU.

Conor Burns: Australia and New Zealand are close economic partners and allies. Trade between Australia and New Zealand was worth a combined total of £19.4 billion (in the four quarter to the end Quarter 1 2019). Through our on-going engagement with UK stakeholders, including our work to promote UK exports overseas, and with the Governments of Australia and New Zealand, we have assessed that the UK could increase its trade and investment relationship with both countries, benefiting both UK businesses and consumers. We have committed to starting Free Trade Agreement negotiations with both countries as soon as we are able to do so.